Remarks by Ilham Aliyev in Shusha

After launching the Shusha Digital Management Center owned by "Azerishig" OJSC, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev delivered remarks in front of the administrative building in the city.

Remarks by the President Ilham Aliyev

-Today marks the 99th birth anniversary of great leader Heydar Aliyev. I visited Fuzuli and Shusha today. I was in Nakhchivan on 10 May last year. On 10 May this year, I am in Karabakh, liberated Karabakh.

Heydar Aliyev rendered unparalleled services to the people of Azerbaijan. He stood by the people in the most challenging moments for our people and saved the people of Azerbaijan from enormous trials and tragedies. Heydar Aliyev is the founding father of Azerbaijan's statehood. He dedicated his life to the people, and his greatest wish was to see Karabakh liberated again and restore our territorial integrity. Thanks to his work in state-building and army building, the state's foundations were laid, and our country embarked on the path of development.

Unfortunately, my father did not live to see this day. Hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis like him died without experiencing the joy of this day. As their successors, we have completed their work, and my father's will has been fulfilled. Today, my father's soul and those of hundreds of thousands of people who died without ever seeing this day, the souls of all our martyrs, are rejoicing. We have made their souls rejoice.

In 2003, for the first time, the people of Azerbaijan showed confidence in me and once again demonstrated their loyalty to the policy of the National Leader. In my turn, I said that if the people of Azerbaijan showed confidence in me, I, as President, would follow the path of Heydar Aliyev. I will stay true to this path and achieve the restoration of the territorial integrity of our country. I swore an oath. I am happy to have fulfilled my promise, and Karabakh is free today. Today, the Azerbaijani flag flies in Karabakh and Zangazur. After the liberation of Shusha, the Azerbaijani flag was raised on the roof of the administrative building behind me, and the victorious Azerbaijani soldiers reported to me about the liberation of Shusha. Today, on 10 May, I once again pay tribute to the memory of the National Leader. I want to assure the people of Azerbaijan that I will continue to do my best to develop our people and our state and strengthen our independence.

Karabakh is reviving today. Today I took part in several ceremonies in Fuzuli and Shusha. The construction and restoration work is in full swing in all the regions. Large-scale landscaping and restoration work is underway in all our liberated lands. Cities and villages are being rebuilt because, during the occupation, the enemy destroyed our cities and villages, ravaged all our historical sites, and brought a city like Shusha, the pearl of Karabakh, the region and the Caucasus to a deplorable state. We, the true owners of these lands, have already returned, and this land and these skies are seeing that. They see another step is taken towards development every day. Every day, a stone is placed on top of another. We will restore all the liberated lands.

I had to be here today, on 10 May, and I had to express my respect for the memory of the Great Leader and the people of Azerbaijan. I must say once again that we have returned to these lands, our native lands, and we will live here forever.

Karabakh is ours. Karabakh is Azerbaijan!